Over 400 underprivileged Muslim families in the Ashanti region have received food aid packages for the holy month of Ramadan.

The support by Direct Aid Ghana follows a needs assessment of poor Muslim families who are in critical need of assistance to have a successful fasting period.

Beneficiaries who, without this sole gesture, would have struggled with Ramadan fasting, beamed with smiles as they left the premises of Direct Aid with donations.

The holy month of Ramadan is considered by many Muslims as a moment to grow spiritually while drawing closer to Allah and loved ones.

Muslims all over the world are expected to fast from dawn to sunset. However, the current economic situation in Ghana means many underprivileged people will struggle to undertake this religious journey obligation.

It is against this background that a non-profit Muslim charity organisation, Direct Aid, has reached out to poor families with food supplies.

Beneficiaries, including students and the aged, were part of 600 underprivileged people earmarked for the Ramadan charity program.

A 64-year-old father of six, Aminu Yakubu from Aboaso in the Kwabre East Municipality, and his family joined a host of less privileged families, to receive the donor support.

For some time now, he and his poor family has been receiving support from Direct Aid for the Ramadan fasting.

“We feel very much excited upon receiving this. This is not our first time ; we have been receiving this from Awunu Mumbasha (Direct Aid) always and always.” Aminu told JoyNews.

“I am with my family with 6 children. We are going to benefit from this one. Insha Allah, it will sustain us,” he added.

Direct Aid Society, which operates in all African countries, established its Ghana branch in 2001, aimed at assisting the vulnerable and emphasising the importance of charity and compassion towards those who are in need.

Words of a Master of Philosophy student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Saeed Mohammed Kasum, explain it all.

“At the commencement of this Ramadan, we tend to find challenge of starting the Ramadan most especially because we are far from home. So this, Direct Aid has actually lifted some burdens on us in the sense that it has given us hope and something to rely on.”

For the head of the Kumasi Centre, Abdelkrim Doubil, the organisation will continue to implement programs that put smiles on the faces of the poor.

“We are here to lift up the spirit Ramadan for the poor people here in Kumasi, Ghana.
The message we want to send from this activity is that, we are sharing the values of Ramadan between Ghanaian people.”

Direct Aid recently donated fully-stocked container shops to the needy at Nante in the Bono East region.